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Emma Raducanu has finally came back to play a Slam tournament. The very young British qualified for the 2nd round of the Australian Open 2024 by beating Shelby Rogers in straight sets, with the final score of 6-3 6-2. The former US Open winner, out of action for almost all of 2023 due to the three surgeries she underwent, showed good and solid tennis, also from a mental point of view, ruling the challenge form the baseline.
The British tennis player will now face China’s Yafan Wang in the second round. Elena Rybakina instead defeated former WTA No.1 Karolina Pliskova 7-6(6) 6-4. And the first set tie-break was decisive. Leading 3-0 and then 6-3, Pliskova made the impossible mistake, giving her opponent the chance to get back into the match.
Czech coach Stefano Vukov did everything to encourage his player, but mistakes and bad decisions compromised the first set of the former two-time Slam finalist. The match gradually faded away and after the break for Rybakina at 1-1 in the second set.
In the second round Rybakina will meet Anna Blinkova, winner 6-2 6-4 against Cristina Bucsa.
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